Sugar Bowl expected to be played as scheduled after deadly truck attack in New Orleans

In the wake of a New Year’s attack on Bourbon Street that resulted in 10 deaths, the New Orleans police department superintendent indicated that Wednesday night’s College Football Playoff Sugar Bowl quarterfinal between Georgia and Notre Dame at the Superdome will go on as planned. 

Anne Kirkpatrick said a man intentionally drove a pickup truck around barricades and into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter around 3:15 a.m. local time on Jan. 1 in the waning hours of New Year’s Eve celebrations. Officials said 35 people were hospitalized. CBS News reports the driver is dead. 

“This man was trying to run over as many people as he could,” Kirkpatrick, according to CBS News, adding that two police officers were hit by gunfire but were in a stable condition. 

Parts of Bourbon Street have been closed off from Canal Street to St. Anne, the FBI said.

“There’s so much to enjoy about New Orleans… making sure that our routes and the Superdome are safe today for the game,” Kirkpatrick said. “We had this tragic event, and we’re sorry again to everyone in our community, but we do want you to go about the day, just stay away from Bourbon.”

The FBI said Wednesday morning it was investigating the mass-casualty incident as a terrorist act. 

Kirkpatrick said the police department would work to ensure security at the Caesars Superdome, which is a short walk from the French Quarter. In a statement, Sugar Bowl officials said they were in ongoing discussions with authorities on the local, state, and federal levels and would “communicate further details as they become available.”

“The Sugar Bowl Committee is devastated by the terrible events from early this morning,” Jeff Hundley, Chief Executive Officer, said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.” 

The game is scheduled to kick off at 8:45 p.m. ET. 

The University of Georgia, which has fans in New Orleans for its football team’s Sugar Bowl game against Notre Dame, released its own statement via social media. 

“In response to the tragic events that occurred in the early morning hours on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, authorities in the area are asking anyone located in the Bourbon Street, Canal Street and St. Ann Street areas to shelter in place until further guidance is provided from local authorities through media outlets in the area.” the statement reads.